Our Times: Orange County Communities

Buena Park

The newly formed Buena Park Motel Owners Assn. has filed a lawsuit in Orange County Superior Court against the city in an effort to overturn an ordinance that restricts motel stays.

The ordinance, first approved in 1996, targets long-term motel tenants who essentially live at the motels and limits their stays to no more than 30 days. According to the city, the ordinance came about in part because some long-term tenants become involved in criminal conduct. Last December, the ordinance was amended to require owners to keep track of occupancy records in order to close loopholes.

Roger Diamond, a lawyer representing the motel owners, says they are not seeking monetary damages. Instead, they hope to get an injunction to allow them to be exempt from the ordinance.

Greg Beaubien, the city manager, said, "We are in no position to be making public comments. We just received [the lawsuit] today."